The Right Tool for the Job

It seems amazing that after working on something for 692 hours you give up, take it to a pro, and they have it fixed in 15 minutes. Is it a function of their amazing skill? That probably has a lot to do with it. Could it be their experience? I’m sure that helps. In many cases their skill and experience has led them to a set of tools that is perfect for the problem you’re trying to solve. These tools might not make you a pro, but they will certainly get you closer.

As a software developer the web is my toolbox. If I need something I go to Google and it searches the cavernous workshop and comes up with a set of tools that could possibly work. Experience helps me cull the list then trial and error eliminates what’s left. The process can be very quick, the easy solution being the first thing in the list because others have had this problem before. Most of the time the search is not this easy, and more digging is needed.

When I need a solution to a development problem I head to StackOverflow. This is a site where developers can ask questions and get responses from other developers. Questions and answers are rated, posters get reputation and everyone can see who the most authoritative source is on any given topic. A lot of media attention has been given to Quora, but while Quora was getting press StackOverflow was giving me answers. I use the site on a daily basis and would happily pay a subscription, but lucky for us it’s free.

There are times when a problem is so specific, or vague, that searching the ether is not going to yield an answer. These times are what social media is made for. A couple of weeks ago, while working on this website, I was struck by the differences in font and layout that other websites have. Some look good to me, some do not. This arbitrary metric (looks good) led me down a rabbit hole of searching for a tool that rates a website’s readability. I know the topic has been studied ad nauseam because when you search all you get is studies. I needed the practical application of those studies.

Given my geek nature my social circle (not a plug for Google+) includes quite a few software developers. In searching Twitter feeds, Facebook walls and Google+ I happened on a tool written by a friend. Kevin Gorski wrote a simple little utility CYRIN (Can You Read It Now) that uses jQuery to scan the CSS / layout of a page and rate readability. It even gives suggestions on can be done to improve a site’s readability and layout. This tool is the wrench that fits the special bolt, behind the thing, upside down. It is exactly the right tool for the specific job. Using this utility I modified the layout of DataFive.com and am much happier with the outcome.

Finding the right tool for the job makes all the difference in the world. Sometimes it just isn’t worth the time to search and going to a pro makes more sense. There’s nothing quite like that eureka moment when you find what you’ve been looking for, or when someone can give you that last little bit that puts you over the finish line. It’s my favorite part of being in technology and what I want to do with this company. When you’re done searching come to us and let us help you find the answer. We’ve got the right tools for the job.

1 Comment

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  Derex January 9, 2012 at 3:13 AM

  Your cranium must be protecting some very valuable brains.

  Reply